Have you ever felt like you could work for just a few more minutes and then literally cannot? Is the time for work tending to appear slower for you? You feel too exhausted to handle the day’s job, and you can’t wait until the subsequent day to finish it. What drives someone to push themselves over and over again during an exhausting? But, in the end, they just can’t get enough of that adrenaline rush that comes from being at the edge of their limits.
You’ve been checking the time every 5 minutes, and you find that you can’t seem to work on anything anymore. You haven’t had any rest all day, so you need to try and stay productive to avoid wasting time with unfinished work. Forcing yourself through this situation will only make it worse, so take a break to refresh your mind.
Tiredness is natural, yet it’s still important to work hard. Do not use being tired as an excuse for being inefficient. It is natural to feel sleepy at times, but you must work hard regardless of the situation you are facing. Maybe you are to blame for not sleeping enough last night or being unlucky with a long, exhausting week and constantly feeling drained of energy. Don’t worry about bugging your brain! Here are some tips to help you power up again and stay productive when you’re feeling tired.
Let hunger be your guide
Sit down and enjoy a meal if you’re hungry. Don’t eat just because you feel like it but also don’t deprive yourself of sustenance when your body needs it. People react to fatigue differently. Some people might want to eat more while others don’t want to eat much at all. If you don’t feel hungry, drink a cup of water or more. If you feel hungry, limit yourself to a healthy snack instead. You can also take various vitamins that can help with energy levels and fight fatigue. This will help you to stay alert and have more energy at work.
Coffee is not always the Answer
Caffeine may be the go-to energizer for most office employees, but it might negatively affect you if taken irresponsibly. While you are attempting to stay awake, drinking excessive coffee while you’re tired or weary can cause headaches. Get something to chew if you find yourself drifting off at work. If you’re trying to lose weight, pick a nutritious snack such as fruits or baked chips to munch on.
Organize and Prioritize your Worklist
Create a to-do list for today and make it go from most urgent to least urgent or rather most important to the least important. Remember to create small goals you can attain within a day.
The list should be concise, reasonable, and easy to understand. Do not combine jobs into a single task, like “Create a draft of final public report and pass it to the Accounts Department.” Ensure that you break each of your jobs into little parts. It should include more detailed steps like “Draft the report. Make edits based on feedback from Team A… and etc.” It can be helpful to put your tasks in order of importance and start the day with the items that require more energy since you have a higher chance of accomplishing these. Making things that require less mental energy for later on also helps prevent burnout by giving yourself ample time for breaks.
Unwind
It’s important to take some time and spend it outside. Get away from your computer screen and walk for a few minutes; it’ll do you a world of good! If you have the chance to do so at work, go for a walk on the roof or enjoy some fresh air up high on the rooftop.
If you need to take a break, you can walk to the park that’s nearby and spend a few minutes there. Being in nature can decrease the neural activity in your brain, which is often used for rumination. Looking at the outside world, especially nature, can help you release stress.
Reduce the amount of mental energy you use
Distractions are the enemy of productivity. Focus on the task at hand and resist all temptations that could distract you. One of the most powerful and effective ways to remain focused is to remove any temptations from your environment. Leave your phone sound off to avoid distractions during tasks. Install some anti-distraction programs such as SelfControl and Stay for a distraction-free experience on your phone.
While multitasking might seem to be a productive practice, research has shown that it can drain your cognitive reserves. It is not humanly possible. So instead of thinking about everything at once, try to focus on one task and take every problem as it arises. You can also try a power nap for 20 minutes; just make sure your coworker wakes you up or have an alarm clock nearby to wake you up. You’ll feel refreshed at the end of it.
Work out or Be Physically Active
Work is not just about your physical well-being; it’s also about protecting your mental health. Doing some mental exercises (i.e., taking the stairs or staying outdoors) will help you maintain a healthy work-life balance and safeguard the volumetric of brain cells for future use.
You can easily do some localized push-ups or sit-ups to stay a bit more alert when you’re feeling sleepy. 3-5 sets of push-ups or sitting up at a time should suffice. Otherwise, you’ll just make yourself all sweaty. Another tip would be taking the stairs or taking a quick walk – this will also naturally wake you up!
Stop Being Grumpy
Yes, sleep deprivation can make you crabbier but don’t punish the people around you. Channeling your crankiness into something productive will make everyone happier in the long run.
You can also use deep breathing to calm yourself when something irritates you. Instead of blowing up about irrelevant issues, you feel better after a few minutes of breathing and can get back to focusing on other aspects of your work (and avoid such irritants). One of the best things about being an adult is how I can play my favorite music whenever I want. On a bad day, upbeat music makes me feel energetic and alive again. It pushes all other distractions away so I can focus on what needs to be done.
Socialize, or Small-talks will do
It can be tough to stay productive, but the amount of time you’ll spend outside of work can have a huge impact on your mood and productivity levels. Make time to socialize with your colleagues. Just take 5-10 minutes out of your day to chat with someone at work, and it will make you feel like you can get right back into it!
Research proves that small talk is good for the brain, so try to have a chat with your coworkers about new TV shows or your weekend plans. You might not think it helps, but people who speak in an open and friendly manner throughout the day actually improve their focus skills.
Conclusion
Like any organ, sleep is essential for our existence. A good night’s sleep will do wonders for your body as well as your spirit! The best thing to do is get a full 8 hours of rest each day. But if you can’t, try to catch up on some sleep during the weekends or when you have the chance. Working through fatigue can be tough. Fortunately, these 8 pointers will always be available at hand and can help you get back on your feet again.
